'Sesame Street' announces all-star lineup for last new season on Max
Published in Entertainment News
“Sesame Street” is rolling out an all-star lineup for its last new season on Max.
The long-running children’s series — set to debut its 55th season on Jan. 16 on the streaming platform — will feature appearances by pop star Renee Rapp, Grammy winner SZA, platinum-selling singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, heartthrob actor Michael B. Jordan, jazz ingenue Samara Joy, country crooner Chris Stapleton, “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness and tennis great Billie Jean King.
The upcoming season will focus on “emotional well-being, helping children learn accessible strategies to comprehend and cope with big feelings through fun, lighthearted, relatable, and engaging stories,” according to Thursday’s announcement.
SZA will specifically contribute an alt-R&B-pop track about gratitude, teaching a new word to Elmo. The chart-topping singer teased her appearance on the program last year, sharing moments from her time on the set with popular characters like Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.
“This was the purest happiest day from top to bottom,” she wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for having me and for patching up my inner child.”
Premium cable giant Max — previously known as HBO and HBO Max — pulled the plug on its exclusive deal for “Sesame Street,” confirming last month that the upcoming 55th season will be the last to debut on the platform. It will continue to license episodes from the show’s library through 2027.
“Sesame Street” is now looking for a new home.
“We will continue to invest in our best-in-class programming and look forward to announcing our new distribution plans in the coming months, ensuring that ‘Sesame Street’ reaches as many children as possible for generations to come,” the show’s producer, Sesame Workshop, said in a statement.
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